Monthly Archives: June 2013

Ali Smith, The Accidental

Posted on June 30, 2013 by Ellen Akins

ALI SMITH, whose novel Hotel World was short-listed for both the Man Booker Prize and the Orange Prize, came to read at the British residency of my MFA program a few years ago. She read the excerpt I’ve reproduced below, … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Blog | Tagged Ali Smith, Hotel World, Jaimy Gordon, Joanna Scott, The Accidental, The Lord of Misrule | Comments Off

Books This Week: Egan, Trapido, Kneale, Brenna

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Ellen Akins

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan Because I listened to it on CD and needed to read it, and to have it–and of course I’d missed the graphic business in it, power point presentations and so forth. … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Blog | Tagged A Visit from the Goon Squad, Barbara Trapido, Brother of the More Famous Jack, Chauncey Mabe, Duff Brenna, English Passengers, Jennifer Egan, Look at Me, Matthew Kneale, Rachel Cusk, Susan Salter Reynolds, The Altar of the Body, The Keep | Comments Off

A Review of Curtis Sittenfeld’s Latest

Posted on June 23, 2013 by Ellen Akins

SISTERLAND, by Curtis Sittenfeld Two sisters, just a little closer than most My second review in a row of a novel written by a woman with a man’s name (the last was BIG BROTHER, by Lionel Shriver. Though, as I … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Blog | Tagged American Wife, Big Brother, Curtis Sittenfeld, Lionel Shriver, Sisterland | Comments Off

Audiobooks, Fingersmith, by Sarah Waters

Posted on June 23, 2013 by Ellen Akins

Does a Lesbian Slant Make Writing Innovative? With as much reading as I have to do, for teaching and reviewing and whatnot, and as much driving I have to do (living as I do in a place where, once you … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Blog | Tagged audiobooks, Dana Spiotta, Fingersmith, lesbian literature, Sarah Waters, Stone Arabia | Comments Off

Jim Hightower & Rebecca West, on Idiots

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Ellen Akins

Jim Hightower Jim Hightower, syndicated columnist and unlikely progressive political activist from Texas, in giving a commencement address to his old high school, said: Now that you’ve had a dozen years in the classroom and earned this important credential, DON’T BE … Continue reading →

Posted in All, Blog | Tagged Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, commencement address, idiot, Jim Hightower, Rebecca West | Comments Off